thiruppullANi

thiruppullANi kalyANa jagannAtha perumAL sannidhi is located near the famous rAmar sEthu – the bridge that was built by SrI rAma along with the vAnara sEnai (monkey army).

The dhivya dhEsam is named based on the thamizh word pullaNai – pul means grass (dharbhai) and aNai means (bed). thiru is added for glorification. Thus thiruppullaNai (divine grass bed) has become thiruppullANi.

The presiding deity in this temple is kalyANa jagannAtha perumAL. He appeared to give divine vision to pullAraNya rishi. jagannAtha perumAL was dearly named by dheiva chilai (Godly/divine form/deity) by thirumangai AzhwAr.

SrI rAma, as part of his mission to rescue sIthA pirAtti from rAvaNa, arrived at the beach near the samudhram (ocean) separating bhAratha dhEsam from lankA. On the advise of vibhIshaNAzhwAn, he places a dharbhai (grass), lies down on it, performs saraNAgathi (surrender) to samudhrarAjan (king of ocean) and requests him to facilitate building a bridge to cross-over to lankA. He stays there for 3 days like that and samudhrarAjan does not come out. SrI rAma becomes very angry and vows to drain the ocean. samudhrarAjan realizes his mistake and appears at once in front of SrI rAma. He begs for forgiveness and offers to facilitate the construction of the bridge over his ocean. In memory of this incident, SrI rAma is present in this dhivya dhEsam as dharba sayana rAmar (one who is reclining on dharbha). It is said that Adhi sEshan himself took the form dharbha to be emperumAn’s bed. We can recollect poigai AzhwAr’s “chenRAl kudaiyAm” pAsuram in this connection, where AzhwAr says, wherever emperumAn goes, Adhi sEshan will follow him and serve him in many ways.

SrI rAmAyaNam is proclaimed as saraNAgathi sAsthram by our pUrvAchAryas. There are several saraNAgathis in SrI rAmAyaNam such as lakshmaNa saraNAgathi, bharatha saraNAgathi, vibhIshaNa saraNAgathi, etc. We can understand the deep principle of saraNAgathi from this incident of SrI rAma surrendering to samudhrarAjan. It is explained that there are 3 aspects in saraNAgathi that need to be properly present for the successful accomplishment of such saraNAgathi:

• saraNAgathi – the act of surrendering – this must be done with unflinching faith, humility, etc.
• saraNAgathan – one who performs saraNAgathi – this person must accept that he has nothing in his hands and he has nowhere else to go
• saraNyan – the one who accepts saraNAgathi must be capable of fulfilling the desires of the saraNAgathan and should have the compassion and willingness to fulfill such desires

In the case of SrI rAma’s saraNAgathi, saraNAgathi itself was performed by SrI rAma in the most humble way. But SrI rAma who is the saraNAgathan here, while may present himself humbly, he is the supreme controller (who is capable of everything). And samdudhrarAjan, though he is capable within his capacity to fulfill SrI rAma’s desire, he did not oblige immediately. Thus, this saraNAgathi failed due to non-satisfaction of the required qualities of saraNAgathi. vibhIshaNa saraNAgathi also happens at this place in the beach (close to the sEthu samudhram). This kshEthram is rightfully called saraNAgathi kshEthram.

In addition, SrI rAma is also seen with his whole parivAr as pattAbishEka rAma with sIthA pirAtti, iLayAzhwAr (lakshmaNa), bharatha, sathrugna and thiruvadi (hanumAn).

Both jagannAtha perumAL and SrI rAma enjoys brahmOthsavam in this temple. During the 4th day of both brahmOthsavams, jagannAtha perumAL and SrI rAma are seen together in garuda sEvai (in individual vAhanams). Similarly, on the day of thIrthavAri, both jagannAtha perumAL and SrI rAma, arrive at sEthu samudhram and enjoys thirumanjanam and thIrthavAri at the thiruvadi (hanumAn) sannidhi which is located on the beach.

thirumangai AzhwAr manifested divine attachment for this jagannAtha perumAL and glorified him in his periya thirumozhi and periya thirumadal pAsurams.

We too can take shelter of emperumAns, AzhwArs and AchAryas in this dhivya dhEsam and be divinely blessed.

There are several sannidhis and uthsavams that happen for the emperumAns, AzhwArs and AchAryas in this dhivya dhEsam.

First, inside the temple there are several emperumAns and AzhwArs/AchArys.

• Presiding deity
  • kalyANa jagannAtha perumAL (dheiva chilai) with SrI dhEvi and bhU dhEvi nAchchiyArs

  

  • dharbha sayana rAmAr – SrI rAma in reclining posture on dharbha (grass). uthsavar – SrI rAma, SrI lakshmaNa and SrI sIthA dhEvi

  

  • pattAbishEka rAmar – SrI rAma with SrI lakshmaNa and SrI sIthA dhEvi and SrI hanumAn
• thanikkOyil nAchchiyArs (separate thAyAr sannidhis)
  • padhmAsini thAyAr
  • ANdAL
• santhAna krishNan
• sEnai mudhaliyAr
• AzhwArs
• emperumAnAr
• maNavALa mAmunigaL

Beyond this list, outside the temple, following sannidhi is present.

• vEdhAnthAchAryar  – on the banks of the pushkariNi

uthsavams

• chithrai
  • SrI rAmar brahmOthsavam starting on chithrai punarpUsam
• vaikAsi
• Ani
• Adi
• AvaNi
  • pavithrOthsavam – 3 days
• purattAsi
  • navarAthri uthsavam
• aippasi
• kArthigai
  • kArthigai dhIpam
• mArgazhi
  • dhanur/mArgazhi mAsam kramam
  • vaikuNta EkAdhasi
• thai
  • sankarAnthi
• mAsi
• panguni
  • jagannAtha perumAL brahmOthsavam – ending on panguni hastham